Caprock girls focused on defending state wrestling championship

Wednesday

An Amarillo girls team has won the UIL State Wrestling Championships team title each year since 2000.

The Caprock Lady Longhorns have won it nine times, including the last eight.

Caprock coach Anthony Hoppe and his five wrestlers are hoping to add to that legacy when the tournament begins Friday.

"There's a lot of people expecting us to go down there and do well," Hoppe said. "We expect to go down and wrestle well, too."

Hoppe was the head coach for the last two state championships. He knows what it takes to win.

"We go down there to take care of business,'' Hoppe said. "We're focused on what we need to do. We already know that Morton Ranch has five girls in the state tournament, and we do too. Hopefully, we will outlast them. I don't see any other surprises."

"Now, all we have to do is go out there and do what we know. There's nothing else that can be taught.

"We need to go out there knowing in our heart that we can do it, and we should come out on top."

Hoppe said McAdoo is the team leader and no one matches the intensity of Bustos.

"Jazmine has done a real good job for us," Hoppe said. "Kendra is a senior who has been behind quality wrestlers for the past few years and now she finally gets to wrestle at her natural weight. Stephanie Lopez should have been a state placer last year but we couldn't make it out of district. This is her year to shine."

Castillo-Bates can't wait to wrestle at her natural weight.

"I'm excited," Castillo-Bates said. "It took me a while to get here. I've been working really hard and I think I'm prepared."

McAdoo has been a part of three team state titles, and wants to add another.

"It feels great to be a part of eight straight, and hopefully it's nine straight," McAdoo said.

"If everybody goes out there and pins on the first day, hopefully on the second day we will come out on top. Being a part of nine straight means a lot to my heart. If we were to lose it, it would tear me to pieces."

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